Hot melt adhesives are dispensed by dispensing systems having one or more dispensing guns coupled by heated hoses to a melter, which is sometimes referred to as a dispensing unit. The melter may include a tank for melting the hot melt adhesive, a manifold having multiple distribution outlets for coupling with a heated hose, and a pump for transferring the hot melt adhesive from the tank through the manifold. Adhesive material is supplied to the tank in solid or semi-solid form, where it is melted and heated by a heater to a desired temperature.
Conventional dispensing units for hot melt adhesive dispensing systems, as described above, are typically mounted to a structural member, such as a planar table top of a bench or a frame of the machine with which the dispensing system is associated. The dispensing unit usually has a base and may include downwardly-extending supports, such as flanges, feet or legs, that project from the underside of the base. The supports may be affixed to the table top or frame. The table top or frame required that holes be machined in the table top or frame that coincided with the positions of clearance holes in the support. After the dispensing unit is positioned such that the clearance holes are aligned with the holes in the table top or frame, bolts or other fasteners are used to finish the mounting procedure.
Once a mounting device is mounted to a support surface, the dispensing unit is mounted to the mounting device. According to the principles of the invention and in one embodiment, the mounting device includes a mounting plate configured to be mounted to the support surface. The mounting plate includes a first edge and a second edge spaced longitudinally from the first edge. The mounting plate further includes at least one coupling member adjacent to the edge and at least one engaging member adjacent to the first edge. The engaging member and coupling member cooperate to secure the hot melt adhesive dispensing unit with the mounting plate so that the base portion has a contacting relationship with the mounting plate. The engaging member is releasably engageable by the corresponding securing element for selectively securing the hot melt dispensing unit against movement relative to the mounting plate and the support surface.
In another embodiment of the invention, the mounting device has a mounting plate with a planar surface and a pair of spaced-apart side flanges extending outwardly from the planar surface. The mounting plate is configured to be mounted to the support surface. The side flanges have a spaced relationship sufficient to receive therebetween the dispensing unit on the planar surface. The base of the dispensing unit is then releasably securable with the side flanges.
The invention is further directed to a method for releasably attaching a dispensing unit to a support surface. The method may include detachably fastening a mounting plate to the support surface and subsequently securing the dispensing unit to the mounting plate so that the dispensing unit is secured against movement relative to the mounting plate.
The elimination of conventional support features may operate to reduce the effective height of the dispensing unit. This may result in the dispensing unit being more compact. In one embodiment, the sub-base of the invention simplifies installation of a dispensing unit because the sub-base can be easily manipulated for attachment to the support surface and, thereafter, the bulkier and heavier dispensing unit is coupled with the sub-base.